Carole Carson

Fat to Fit

Carole Carson, author of From Fat to Fit: Turn Yourself into a Weapon of Mass Reduction, serves as the coach for the AARP Fat to Fit online community. On the brink of 60 and just 5-foot-1, Carole Carson weighed 182 pounds. Then, unbelievably, she shed 62 pounds. Next, she turned around and inspired people in her community of Grass Valley, Calif., to lose 4 tons of weight together. Now she's doing the same for AARP members with the Fat to Fit Weight-Loss Challenge.

I don’t know about you, but most of my family members and friends are trying to lose weight. Some of us are overweight and do not want to see the number on the scale go any higher. Others, like me, have lost weight and want to sustain their downsized profile. Given our single-mindedness, it’s no wonder that millions of dieters will spend $61 billion in 2013 on weight-loss programs, products and gadgets, according to market research firm Marketdata Enterprises. But …

Are you practicing the fifth habit that could save your life? Thanks to a study conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, we now know and can practice the four habits that reduce our risk for heart disease, including the risk of suffering a fatal heart attack: Exercising regularly Eating a healthy diet Avoiding smoking Consuming a moderate amount of alcohol. Practicing these habits is associated with a 57 percent lower risk of both fatal …

You may have noticed that for the most part, my articles focus on the positive aspects of getting fit. (I have found the upside so incredible that I wonder why it took me so long to make positive changes.) At the same time, I recognize the downside: when we decide to make changes and get fit, some of us will find ourselves dealing with individuals who seek to undermine our efforts. Related: The #1 Best All-Around Exercise for Every Post-50 …

Denise, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has a common problem. She is doing everything she can to lead a healthy lifestyle, but the stubborn pounds refuse to leave her body. I’ve read your advice, and I have completely revamped my nutritional intake to high-quality proteins, whole grains, vegetables, fruits and fat-free dairy. I even started buying salmon to cook for myself a couple of times a week. On the exercise front, I am walking and using my pedometer, but the weight is …

In predicting future cardiovascular disease in preschoolers, is how children eat as important as what they eat? The surprising answer is yes. A Canadian study led by Dr. Nav Persaud, a family physician, found “a significant association between poor eating habits in kids ages three to five and their levels of non-HDL-or ‘bad’-cholesterol, putting them at risk for cardiovascular disease later in life.” The eating habits that place children at risk for heart disease in adulthood are – eating while …

An acquaintance once said that she had lost over 200 pounds. Looking at her girth, I confess that I doubted the claim until she quickly added, “Of course, it’s the same 20 pounds 10 times.” Given the single-minded focus required to lose weight, why do so many of us (an estimated percent) regain the pounds we lost-and even add a few more? How maddening is that? Researchers are starting to explain this common experience, and their insights are both encouraging …